Single Leg Squat With Wall Support Pistol

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand sideways next to a wall, approximately arm's length away.
2. Shift your weight onto the leg closest to the wall and lift the opposite leg straight out in front of you.
3. Place the hand closest to the wall lightly against it at shoulder height for balance.
4. Engage your core and fix your gaze forward to maintain a neutral spine.

How to do it

1. Inhale and slowly lower your hips back and down as if sitting into a chair, keeping the non-working leg extended forward.
2. Descend as low as your mobility allows, ideally until your hip crease is below the knee, using the wall only for light stability.
3. Exhale and drive through the heel of the standing foot to return to the starting position.
4. Maintain a controlled 3-second eccentric (lowering) phase and a powerful 1-second concentric (rising) phase.

Form checklist

• Keep the heel of the working foot firmly planted on the ground at all times.
• Ensure the knee of the working leg tracks directly over the middle of the foot, avoiding inward collapse.
• Keep your chest lifted and avoid excessive rounding of the lower back at the bottom of the movement.
• Use the wall for balance only; do not use your arm to pull yourself upward.

Pro tips

• Actively squeeze the quadriceps of the extended leg to keep it straight and prevent it from touching the floor.
• Focus on 'screwing' your standing foot into the floor to engage the glute medius and stabilize the knee.
• Maintain tension in your core throughout the entire range of motion to protect the spine and improve force transfer.

Make it harder

• Reduce the amount of wall support by using only one or two fingers for balance.
• Add a 2-second pause at the bottom of the squat to remove elastic energy and increase time under tension.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the single leg squat with wall support pistol work?

The single leg squat with wall support pistol primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs, hip flexors, and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the single leg squat with wall support pistol?

The single leg squat with wall support pistol requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the single leg squat with wall support pistol good for beginners?

The single leg squat with wall support pistol is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Band DeadliftBeginner · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Hang Clean Below The KneesAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Mixed Grip DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell SnatchAdvanced · adductors, calves, deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, and quadriceps